Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo

Claire says Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo is tops! 

Lucky, one of Korea’s most popular k-pop stars, is about to make her American debut on The Later Tonight Show. But after watching her last performance from her tour, she realizes that her heart may not be in it the way it once was. Hungry for a hamburger,—as her strict diet has not allowed her to indulge in one—Lucky runs away from her hotel to find one. Jack, a destined-to-be banker, has been forced to intern at his father’s bank during his gap year. Bored at one of the banquets, Jack makes an excuse to leave early. Soon after, he receives a text from the editor of the celebrity gossip magazine he secretly works for and heads off to the hotel where the magazine’s next scoop is staying. Both running away from their realities, Lucky and Jack cross paths in the elevator and end up meeting again later that night.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo follows a cute romance that develops between two teens who take a break from their life for one day. From its announcement, I have been looking forward to reading this book because like many other people on the planet, I love k-pop. I was excited to read about a k-pop idol, and I especially enjoyed the way Goo developed Lucky’s character by discussing the various struggles that an idol goes through—it felt very real. In addition, the relationship between Lucky and Jack developed nicely—I loved reading their dialogue and their thoughts about each other. I also thought that the characters’ self-discovery was a nice inclusion in the story to add an extra element to the character’s relationship. Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo is a summer-y read that will inspire you to follow your dreams.